At-home Artificial Insemination - HOW TO and success stories.

We get a lot of questions about how to do at-home artificial insemination with donor sperm. I'm going to list some common questions and I invite everyone with some experience on this topic to answer with information on what they did and how well it worked.

Please keep your replies to the format:

Questions:
1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor
2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation
3. What method(s) of insemination did you use
4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?
5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?
6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?
7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?
8. Anything else you think people should know?

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor
I found the donor I used on a free sperm donation yahoo group. I had to weed through some sketchy replies but found a great donor.

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation
I used temping, cervical mucus, LH surge strips (didn't work so well for me) and the ovwatch.

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use
I bought a cervical cap and stem kit (several actually). I also tried using a 5ml and 10ml syringe (oral medicine syringe) alone, but didn't like doing it that way because I had trouble getting the syringe close enough to my cervix. The kit was a bit pricey, but I didn't mind. I also used soft cups (put the sperm in the softcup and inserted the softcup). I tried egg whites one cycle on a couple of the inseminations but I don't know if they made a difference.

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?
I inseminated 3 times per cycle (although 2 probably would have been sufficient). I inseminated 2-3 days before ovulation, the day before, and the day of (give or take)

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?
The first time the donor came to my house, prepared a sample in an upstairs room (in a clean specimen cup), left the sample with me and then after he left I inseminated (roughly 15 minutes later). Subsequent inseminations occurred at a friend's house, but the same basic set-up.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?
Yes, it worked! I got my BFP on my second cycle of AI with donor sperm.

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?
Our donor is willing to be contacted by my daughter when she is 18, but otherwise we don't have much contact. We've agreed to keep one another current on our contact information. We signed a donor contract clarifying our intentions.

8. Anything else you think people should know?
Using a known donor is risky. You need to get current STD results and above all else, TRUST your donor. Don't go through with this if you don't get a good vibe! There are serious risks to doing AI with fresh donor sperm.

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donori found my donor through the website http://www.free-sperm-donations.com/
you pay a joining fee and a monthly maintanence fee, but i found my donor with in the first month. they have pre approved donor profiles or a message board where you can post requests - got lots of replys but had to wade through to find the good. i went with a pre approaved one

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation
I used temping, cervical mucus,cervical position, LH surge strips and a cbfm when ttc no 1

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use?
both times i used a 10 ml syringe, pre seed and soft cups, i inserted the sperm then the soft cup rather than put the sperm in the cup then insert

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?
both times i got preg i inseminated 3 times, ov-2, ov-1, and ov

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?
i went to the donors house each time, i was careful to give details of where i was going the first time and a friend text me while i was there to make sure i was ok. we had a routine of i would text him when i was 5 mins away so when i got there the sample would be waiting and i would go up strairs and inseminate while he made a cuppa. lol

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?
ttc no1 took 3 cycles, ttc no2 took 5 cycles (same donor)

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?
when i initially found my donor he was willing to have what ever contact i wanted and i was just going to send the odd photo, but since getting to know him we get on really well and i consider him a good friend. so i now take callum to see him regularly (once a month) to see him and will contine this when no2 arrives. he has no perental responsibility though and leaves me to all the perental decisions. he has bought callum presents for his birthday and christmas and has even bought us a double buggy bless him. we all refer to him as daddy too. but im a single gal so no other partner to upset by this.

8. Anything else you think people should know?
you should only pay expences never for the sperm, and dont let any donor tell you, you have better chances with NI. you dont its the same!

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor

Posted an ad on a classifieds website, out of over 200 replies, only about 5 were genuine. Turned out only about 2 of those 5 were 'actually' genuine. We were let down by alot of guys, right up until 5 minutes before they were due to arrive, so make sure you trust them 100%

5ml syringe and real eggwhites. Tho didn't use any eggwites this time!

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?

It varied because we tried for so long, sometimes just the day before ovulation, sometimes the 2 days before and the day of. This pregnancy was 2 days before ovulation, the day before my positive OPK,

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?

Again it varies. The first time we met the donor in a hotel, didn't find it logistically easy at all, it was awkward and uncomfortable. We then had one donor come to our house, make his 'deposit' in the bathrrom and then he went home, I did the insemination 10 minutes later. With our current donor we sometimes went to his house and did it there then drove home, one time he was working 10 minutes from our house and brought the sample with him and handed it ove the garden gate and I got pregnant, but with this pregnancy he just came to our house, then stood chatting for 10 minutes after, and it still worked lol.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?

It worked on my 4th cycle, then again on 7th, 9th, 11th, 15th and this is my 19th cycle and I'm currently 4w2d. I had early miscarriages with the other pregnancies, but it's nothing to do with the way the inseminations were done, as it I've been pregnant by 3 different donors, it's me who has the problem, we just don't know what yet.

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?

He's going to see the baby twice a year, and can send Christmas/birthday presents. He's signing a cotract to say he won't apply for custody etc, but we trust him 100%.

8. Anything else you think people should know?

Don't stress too much about the 'amount' you get from your donor. I only had 0.5ml one time and got pregnant, and sometimes had up to 5ml and it didn't work! Also, make sure you get to know your donor beforehand, as some can 'seem' nice on the phone and over the internet, but are creeps in real life. If you don't feel comfortable at any point, back out of it. And make sure you get a current STI comfirmation, don't just take their word for it!

Questions:1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor

I used a donor. He was an acquaintance. He is working on his Ph. D. in the same program from which I earned mine. We live in the same city in Ohio but we actually met and got to talking at a conference in CA. He said that this was something he always thought he would like to do for a lesbian woman or couple. We have since become more like friends and usually try to have lunch or dinner about once a month.

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation

OPKs, tracking cervical mucus, saliva microscope

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use

We used a syringe and sometimes we used a catheter attached to the end of the syringe to get right up to my cervix but not through it. When we used the catheter we also used a speculum to help locate the cervix. I usually had my hips elevated on a pillow covered with a towel (and tissues nearby to wipe away any leakage). I usually stayed laying down for an hour or so or just went to bed if the insemination was at night. We used Preseed the cycle I got pregnant-both inserted prior to insemination and on the speculum when we used one. I liked using Instead softcups after insemination to minimize leakage. I usually kept them in for about 6-8 hours or overnight depending on when we did the insemination.

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?

I generally inseminated 2-3 times per cycle and usually the day of a positive OPK, the day after, and the next day.

The cycle that I got pregnant I inseminated myself about one hour after +OPK (got a +OPK about 9pm and inseminated about 10pm) and then the next afternoon, about 16 hours after +OPK (around 1:30pm) my partner did the insemination. I think that I ovulated around 5:30pm that day.

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?

I usually called or texted my donor when I had a positive OPK and then he would text me when he had the goods and I would drive over to his house and pick them up and take them home. When I picked up the first donation for the cycle my donor and I talked about arrangements for the next day and then would proceed with the texting and pickup as described. My partner and I did the inseminations at home.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?

Yes! I am almost 22 weeks pregnant! I did two at home cycles with no luck. Then I did a clomid + IUI cycle and got pregnant but miscarried. Did a second Clomid + IUI cycle and got pregnant again, but miscarried again. I took a couple months off from trying and I planned to do another Clomid + IUI cycle in July, but just for shits and giggles, at the last minute, I casually decided to do another at-home cycle in June. My attitude was well it can't hurt and I was planning IUI the next month anyway, so I was just relaxed about it and BINGO! It worked! So really, I got pregnant with my third at home insemination.

November 2009-home insemination
December 2009-home insemination
January 2010-IUI (pregnant but miscarried)
March 2010-IUI (pregnant but miscarried)
June 2010-home insemination-almost 22 wks pregnant

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?

We have dinner about once a month and keep in touch via text. He is welcome to play the role of "uncle" when the baby arrives but he will most likely be moving back to the west coast so that may not happen. He will not be financially nor legally responsible and will not be involved in parenting decisions. He has agreed to be available for contact and medical information.

8. Anything else you think people should know?

The first two home insemination cycles I had the big O before inseminations. The cycle that I got pregnant, I O'd after both inseminations. I put in an Instead cup after I inseminated so that I wouldn't lose any during my big O. Both times I brought myself to O as I was concerned that if I had partner sex that I'd risk losing more of the goods.

Good luck! I will say this-I was living in a stressful environment (with my ex) and I moved at the end of May 2010. I was much less stressed and had a carefree attitude about trying at home in June 2010. I got pregnant about four weeks after I moved. I can't help but think that stress played a role in my previous attempts and miscarriages. I was undecided about even trying the month that I got pregnant. It was very last minute. I did an OPK for the heck of it and it was positive...and my womanly urges got the best of me and I called up my donor. Best decision I ever made!

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor

First, we went thru a lesbian-owned sperm bank in San Francisco. I regret that whole experience. It cost ALOT of money to use frozen sperm. Plus, that particular sperm bank only had tanks that would stay frozen for 5 - 7 days. It was hard to order in advance & predict when we would need it to be shipped. They wanted you to order by the first day or two of your period. It took two days to ship, so that had to figure in to the 5-7 days of staying frozen. They recommended two attempts each cycle... the day after a +OPK & again 12 hours later. We bought frozen sperm from them our first two cycles. On the second cycle... the tank lost it's "freeze" on day 5 & both vials of sperm started to defrost!!!!!! We inseminated both, at the same time, before they completely defrosted -- before we got a +OPK! Needless to say we did not get pregnant. Those two attempts (2 months/2 vials each month) cost us nearly $3,000.00. We saved up money over the next several months & tried again (another $1,500.00)... and also did not achieve pregnacy. I had some bloodwork done & found my insulin level was (is?) high. The fertility doc prescribed metformin & said that if i took the medication and lost weight i would be more fertile. I did not like the side-effects of the metformin (nausea/diarrhea) & stopped taking it after a month or so.

We then found a much more affordable sperm bank in NYC. (Not sure if i can list names of places here -- so PM me for specific information.) My very butch... and very sweet... OH has agreed to now try to get pregnant... since my insulin level was making TTC more difficult! (So unexpected & thoughtful of her!!) We tried once from this new clinic... and their tanks stay frozen for 10 - 12 days!!! So it was much easier to get the timing right! But OH did not get pregnant on her 1st attempt. Oh, and it cost about $500 for those two vials & shipping... so...... much cheaper!

We have now started using fresh sperm from donors we met on http://www.free-sperm-donations.com/ These are guys willing to donate for free. We are just paying for the hotel... & gas if the donor requests.

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation

OPKs & CM

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use

Frozen sperm: They supplied the dispenser

Fresh sperm: 10ml syringe (aka medicine dispenser)

Legs in the air -- butt propped up on pillows!

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?

Frozen: 2 attempts/per cycle - day after +OPK & again 12 hours later

Fresh: 1 attempt/per cycle -- Think we are still struggling to get the timing right! Each insem during "fertile window" & lots of EWCM. It's a bit challenging bc we need to schedule the meeting in advance (ie. reserve the hotel, arrange with the donor, miss a day of work, etc) due to the distance.

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?

We are meeting him at a hotel half-way between where he lives & where we live. About a 2 hour drive each way. We meet in the lobby. He goes in the room, produces the sample... and leaves it in the room in a specimen cup... then meets us back in the lobby. We are never alone with him.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?

Not yet! On to cycle # 7! (4 with frozen... 2 so far with fresh... next attempt coming soon!)

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?

No previous relationship. Met thru the website. Spoke thru email for several weeks. Verified his info online to ensure he was who he said he was before meeting.

Signed a contract stating no parental rights after baby is born. Also, viewed copies of recent STD/HIV health screenings.

We will be more than happy to provide periodic updates & pictures for the donor in the future.

We have two donors, one as back-up in case one isn't available. This has already been the case... so glad we found two we like, trust, & feel comfortable with.

8. Anything else you think people should know?

I have seen this method be successful quite a few times now -- it def works! Just please be careful & safe before meeting anyone. Make sure they are legitimate & genuine.

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor - For our first child our donor was a close friend, this time we found a donor by putting an ad on Vivistreet (Just google it). All sorts of weirdo's will reply, you just really have to go through them all and find one that suits you. Our current donor is a lovely man, married with two children.

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation - To be honest, this time I haven't really used a method, I have just worked out the average length of my cycles and checked cervical position and mucous. I spent 2 months before we ttc using OPK's and never got a positive, even though I know I am ovulating because I got pregnant last month (ended in a M/C)

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use - Our donor does 'it' into a cup and then we leave it ten - fifteen minutes to liquify. Then it is sucked up into a syringe and OH/I insert it.

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)? - Normally two days in a row 14 days before my period is due. Last month CD15&16. This month CD14 as I O'd a day early.

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur? - Donor came to our house and donation was made in our bathroom.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take? - With Tegan it took just one, this time I got pregnant 1st cycle and had a m/c. We did our second insem 3 days ago.

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor? No relationship - donor doesn't want contact.

8. Anything else you think people should know? MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR DONOR IS CLEAR OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES. That cannot be said strongly enough, using a donor is dangerous if you aren't extremely careful. Make sure you know your donor well and your intentions are clear on both parts.

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor.we found our donor on Tadpole Forum and we were liasing with him for several months before we tried and we found him extremley professional and put us at ease with the whole situation.2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation.we used the basal thermometer for approx 6 months then our donor suggested the clear blue fertility monitor; we used this for 2 months.3. What method(s) of insemination did you usewe used a syringe to inseminate after orgasm and another orgasm after inseminating.4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?we inseminated twice in the cycle, 2 days before and 2 day before ovulation.5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?we met our donor near his location on a campsite in our campervan to discuss things and to do the 1st insemination.
he went to the toilet to supply his donation in a specimen bottle and handed it to us to do our part of the 'baby making' lol6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?
it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!
1st cycle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?
we will contact at important stages of the pregnancy and inform him when he is born and send a picture every birthday and let him know of our location for future recipient purposes and he will then donate again to me (my partner is pregnant this time) so we have as close a sibling as possible in a gay relationship.8. Anything else you think people should know?RELAX!!!!
our first time was very nerve racking and things didnt go well with the insemination process but the 2nd time we relaxed abit more and things went so well.
dont take a test til the day your period is due! we rested 2 days previous and got a false negative.
have plenty to hand as if you are pregnant you will want to 'make sure' !

1. If you used a donor (rather than your spouse), how did you find your donor

When we first started trying, our donor was a good friend who was going to have an uncle-type role. However he got into a new relationship a few months after we started trying and things got rather complicated. In the end we decided we had to look elsewhere. We found our next donor through a gay parenting forum that doesn't exist any more. We placed an ad, got 8 replies of which 2 seemed genuine, met them both and had a very clear front runner. He's been wonderful, stuck to his word throughout and remained reliable even though it took several years of trying. He then came back and donated to us again for a sibling. We couldn't have asked for more.

2. What method(s) did you use to track ovulation

When we were trying with my partner, OPKs and mucus. OPKs don't work with me so when we switched to me we were just relying on CM and the fact that I can usually feel when ovulation is on its way.

3. What method(s) of insemination did you use

Sample in a clean pot, sucked up into a syringe (5 or 10ml depending on what we had in at the time) and inserted by partner whilst bum raised on pillow. We usually did it in the evening so I'd just stay in bed for the night to give it plenty of time to swim up. We didn't use any cups at any point.

4. How many times per cycle did you inseminate and what was the timing relative to ovulation (e.g. 2 days before and day of)?

It varied. We'd usually aim to do it on the day before and the day of ovulation and mostly we achieved this. It took 18 cycles in total before we got pregnant the first time and that's what we did that time. This time we inseminated early because our donor was going overseas so it was 3-4 days before ovulation and just the once. We still got pregnant.

5. Logistics. Where did you meet your donor and how did the donation occur?

With one exception when we used my parents house the donor came to our home, had a cuppa and a chat and then went up to the guest room to make his donation. He'd leave straight away afterwards which is when we'd get the sample from the guest room, suck it into a syringe and inseminate.

6. Did it work? If so, how many cycles did it take?

Yes, three times. The first time was the 11th cycle we tried with my partner but it resulted in a miscarriage. The second time was the 6th time we tried with me which was our 18th overall and this resulted in our daughter. This time it was only the second cycle we tried for a sibling, and the first once I was actually ovulating.

7. If you used a donor, what is the relationship you have (or intend to have) with your donor?

We negotiated a contract that meant that he'd have no rights or responsibilities but that we could arrange to meet occasionally as our child(ren) grew up if they ever had any questions about their biological heritage or wanted to meet him. As it happens, this has evolved to us arranging to meet up for lunch once a year. It's a level of commitment we are happy with and for us it means that our children will never have any sense of mystery about him because he will be familiar, albeit distantly. We've taken a photo of him with our daughter every year we've met for her records and we'll continue that when our second child arrives. We also agreed to stay in contact by email in between and we email back and forth about three or four times a year. He uses this method with the other people he's donated to and it means he keeps us up to date with how the other children are doing, any new births and any medical issues that arise with any of the others.

8. Anything else you think people should know?

It can take time. There are so many stories out there from people who get pregnant on their 1st, 2nd, 3rd month of trying. It was so disheartening for us when this didn't happen and it felt as though it never would. It took years and several very low points but we kept plugging away at it and we got there in the end. Using a known donor was the only way we were able to do this - we'd have run out of money very quickly if we'd been using a clinic.

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